13.069
नृगोपाख्यानम्
The story of Nṛga.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
अत्रैव कीर्त्यते सद्भिर्ब्राह्मणस्वाभिमर्शने। नृगेण सुमहत्कृच्छ्रं यदवाप्तं कुरूद्वह ॥१३-६९-१॥
Here, O best of the Kurus, the virtuous recount the very great difficulty experienced by Nṛga in the matter of harming a brāhmaṇa. (13-69-1)
निविशन्त्यां पुरा पार्थ द्वारवत्यामिति श्रुतिः। अदृश्यत महाकूपस्तृणवीरुत्समावृतः ॥१३-६९-२॥
It is heard that, in former times when settling in Dvāravatī, O Pārtha, a great well covered with grasses and shrubs was seen. (13-69-2)
प्रयत्नं तत्र कुर्वाणास्तस्मात्कूपाज्जलार्थिनः। श्रमेण महता युक्तास्तस्मिंस्तोये सुसंवृते ॥१३-६९-३॥
Those desiring water, making effort there, therefore, by great effort, being engaged, in that well-covered well, (seek water). (13-69-3)
ददृशुस्ते महाकायं कृकलासमवस्थितम्। तस्य चोद्धरणे यत्नमकुर्वंस्ते सहस्रशः ॥१३-६९-४॥
They saw the great-bodied skeleton lying there, and thousands of them made efforts to lift him. (13-69-4)
प्रग्रहैश्चर्मपट्टैश्च तं बद्ध्वा पर्वतोपमम्। नाशक्नुवन्समुद्धर्तुं ततो जग्मुर्जनार्दनम् ॥१३-६९-५॥
They bound him, who was like a mountain, with bonds and leather straps, but being unable to lift him, they then went to Janārdana. (13-69-5)
खमावृत्योदपानस्य कृकलासः स्थितो महान्। तस्य नास्ति समुद्धर्तेत्यथ कृष्णे न्यवेदयन् ॥१३-६९-६॥
A great skeleton was placed covering the mouth of the well. They then reported to Kṛṣṇa that there was no one who could remove it. (13-69-6)
स वासुदेवेन समुद्धृतश्च; पृष्टश्च कामान्निजगाद राजा। नृगस्तदात्मानमथो न्यवेदय; त्पुरातनं यज्ञसहस्रयाजिनम् ॥१३-६९-७॥
He, having been lifted up by Vāsudeva and questioned about his desires, the king spoke. Then Nṛga revealed himself as that ancient performer of a thousand sacrifices. (13-69-7)
तथा ब्रुवाणं तु तमाह माधवः; शुभं त्वया कर्म कृतं न पापकम्। कथं भवान्दुर्गतिमीदृशीं गतो; नरेन्द्र तद्ब्रूहि किमेतदीदृशम् ॥१३-६९-८॥
Thus, as he was speaking, Mādhava said to him: 'You have performed auspicious actions, not evil ones. How have you come to such a bad state, O king? Tell me, what is this situation?' (13-69-8)
शतं सहस्राणि शतं गवां पुनः; पुनः शतान्यष्ट शतायुतानि। त्वया पुरा दत्तमितीह शुश्रुम; नृप द्विजेभ्यः क्व नु तद्गतं तव ॥१३-६९-९॥
Hundreds of thousands and again hundreds of cows, and again hundreds and eight ten thousands, were given by you formerly, so we have heard here, O king, to the brahmins; where indeed has that gone of yours? (13-69-9)
नृगस्ततोऽब्रवीत्कृष्णं ब्राह्मणस्याग्निहोत्रिणः। प्रोषितस्य परिभ्रष्टा गौरेका मम गोधने ॥१३-६९-१०॥
King Nṛga then said to Kṛṣṇa, "A single cow belonging to a brāhmaṇa who was away performing agnihotra strayed into my herd of cows." (13-69-10)
गवां सहस्रे सङ्ख्याता तदा सा पशुपैर्मम। सा ब्राह्मणाय मे दत्ता प्रेत्यार्थमभिकाङ्क्षता ॥१३-६९-११॥
Then that herd of a thousand cows belonging to me, counted along with the animals, was given by me to a Brāhmaṇa, eagerly desiring benefit for life after death. (13-69-11)
अपश्यत्परिमार्गंश्च तां यां परगृहे द्विजः। ममेयमिति चोवाच ब्राह्मणो यस्य साभवत् ॥१३-६९-१२॥
The Brahmin saw and searched for her in another's house—he said, "this is mine"; and she became the wife of the Brahmin to whom she belonged. (13-69-12)
तावुभौ समनुप्राप्तौ विवदन्तौ भृशज्वरौ। भवान्दाता भवान्हर्तेत्यथ तौ मां तदोचतुः ॥१३-६९-१३॥
Both of them, greatly feverish, met and quarreled, and then said to me: "You are the giver, you are the taker." (13-69-13)
शतेन शतसङ्ख्येन गवां विनिमयेन वै। याचे प्रतिग्रहीतारं स तु मामब्रवीदिदम् ॥१३-६९-१४॥
Desiring to give a hundred cows or even more by way of exchange, I asked the recipient; but he said this to me. (13-69-14)
देशकालोपसम्पन्ना दोग्ध्री क्षान्तातिवत्सला। स्वादुक्षीरप्रदा धन्या मम नित्यं निवेशने ॥१३-६९-१५॥
A milch cow, endowed with proper place and time, greatly enduring and deeply fond of her calf, always giving sweet milk, blessed, is always in my house. (13-69-15)
कृशं च भरते या गौर्मम पुत्रमपस्तनम्। न सा शक्या मया हातुमित्युक्त्वा स जगाम ह ॥१३-६९-१६॥
He said, "The thin cow, my son, which has lost her calf and is meant for Bharata, I am not able to abandon her," and so saying, he departed. (13-69-16)
ततस्तमपरं विप्रं याचे विनिमयेन वै। गवां शतसहस्रं वै तत्कृते गृह्यतामिति ॥१३-६९-१७॥
Then, I requested that other Brāhmaṇa with an exchange—let one hundred thousand cows be accepted for that thus. (13-69-17)
ब्राह्मण उवाच॥
The brāhmaṇa said.
न राज्ञां प्रतिगृह्णामि शक्तोऽहं स्वस्य मार्गणे। सैव गौर्दीयतां शीघ्रं ममेति मधुसूदन ॥१३-६९-१८॥
I do not accept anything from kings, nor am I able to search on my own; therefore, let that cow be quickly given to me, O Madhusudana. (13-69-18)
रुक्ममश्वांश्च ददतो रजतं स्यन्दनांस्तथा। न जग्राह ययौ चापि तदा स ब्राह्मणर्षभः ॥१३-६९-१९॥
He, the foremost Brāhmaṇa, did not accept the gold horses and silver chariots offered to him, but departed at that time. (13-69-19)
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु चोदितः कालधर्मणा। पितृलोकमहं प्राप्य धर्मराजमुपागमम् ॥१३-६९-२०॥
At that very moment, urged by the ordinance of Time, I reached the realm of the ancestors and approached King Dharma. (13-69-20)
यमस्तु पूजयित्वा मां ततो वचनमब्रवीत्। नान्तः सङ्ख्यायते राजंस्तव पुण्यस्य कर्मणः ॥१३-६९-२१॥
But Yama, after worshipping me, then said these words: "There is no limit, O king, to the merit of your deeds." (13-69-21)
अस्ति चैव कृतं पापमज्ञानात्तदपि त्वया। चरस्व पापं पश्चाद्वा पूर्वं वा त्वं यथेच्छसि ॥१३-६९-२२॥
Indeed, there is an evil act done by you out of ignorance; therefore, perform the evil act later or earlier, as you wish. (13-69-22)
रक्षितास्मीति चोक्तं ते प्रतिज्ञा चानृता तव। ब्राह्मणस्वस्य चादानं त्रिविधस्ते व्यतिक्रमः ॥१३-६९-२३॥
You said, "I am protected"; your vow is not false. But taking the property of a brāhmaṇa and the threefold (transgression) is your offense. (13-69-23)
पूर्वं कृच्छ्रं चरिष्येऽहं पश्चाच्छुभमिति प्रभो। धर्मराजं ब्रुवन्नेवं पतितोऽस्मि महीतले ॥१३-६९-२४॥
Saying to Dharmarāja, "O lord, first I will undertake hardship, then (do) good," thus I have fallen on the earth. (13-69-24)
अश्रौषं प्रच्युतश्चाहं यमस्योच्चैः प्रभाषतः। वासुदेवः समुद्धर्ता भविता ते जनार्दनः ॥१३-६९-२५॥
I heard, when I, having fallen, was being addressed loudly by Yama; Vasudeva, Janardana, will be your savior. (13-69-25)
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रान्ते क्षीणे कर्मणि दुष्कृते। प्राप्स्यसे शाश्वताँल्लोकाञ्जितान्स्वेनैव कर्मणा ॥१३-६९-२६॥
At the end of a thousand years, when the evil deed is exhausted, you will attain the eternal worlds gained by your own action. (13-69-26)
कूपेऽऽत्मानमधःशीर्षमपश्यं पतितं च ह। तिर्यग्योनिमनुप्राप्तं न तु मामजहात्स्मृतिः ॥१३-६९-२७॥
I saw myself fallen head-down in a well and indeed entering an animal womb, but memory did not abandon me. (13-69-27)
त्वया तु तारितोऽस्म्यद्य किमन्यत्र तपोबलात्। अनुजानीहि मां कृष्ण गच्छेयं दिवमद्य वै ॥१३-६९-२८॥
But today, O Kṛṣṇa, by your grace I have crossed (the world); what else could (be accomplished) by the power of austerity? Please permit me, may I go to heaven today indeed. (13-69-28)
अनुज्ञातः स कृष्णेन नमस्कृत्य जनार्दनम्। विमानं दिव्यमास्थाय ययौ दिवमरिंदम ॥१३-६९-२९॥
Permitted by Kṛṣṇa, he saluted Janārdana and, ascending the divine chariot, the conqueror of foes went to heaven. (13-69-29)
ततस्तस्मिन्दिवं प्राप्ते नृगे भरतसत्तम। वासुदेव इमं श्लोकं जगाद कुरुनन्दन ॥१३-६९-३०॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, when that day had come for Nṛga, Vāsudeva uttered this verse, O delight of the Kurus. (13-69-30)
ब्राह्मणस्वं न हर्तव्यं पुरुषेण विजानता। ब्राह्मणस्वं हृतं हन्ति नृगं ब्राह्मणगौरिव ॥१३-६९-३१॥
A man who knows should not take a brāhmaṇa's wealth; taking a brāhmaṇa's wealth destroys a person, just as a brāhmaṇa's cow would. (13-69-31)
सतां समागमः सद्भिर्नाफलः पार्थ विद्यते। विमुक्तं नरकात्पश्य नृगं साधुसमागमात् ॥१३-६९-३२॥
O Pārtha, association with the good is never fruitless. See how Nṛga was liberated from hell by association with the righteous. (13-69-32)
प्रदानं फलवत्तत्र द्रोहस्तत्र तथाफलः। अपचारं गवां तस्माद्वर्जयेत युधिष्ठिर ॥१३-६९-३३॥
Giving in that case yields fruit; harm likewise brings corresponding results. Therefore, O Yudhiṣṭhira, avoid any offence toward cows. (13-69-33)
